List of Rock Festivals in Western Japan [2025–2026]

A massive festival will be held in Maishima, conveniently accessible from central Osaka and located very close to USJ, just as the event title suggests. Centered on pop and rock yet not confined to any specific genre, it’s an event that families can enjoy as well.

Mihoudai, the large circuit festival held every year across multiple live venues around Osaka’s Amerikamura, will be back this year. The lineup is carefully selected by the Mihoudai staff from bands they’ve seen live over the past year, so you can catch a slew of artists who are really on the rise. Looks like we can expect plenty of wonderful bands again this year, don’t you think?

It’s a summer festival hosted by 10-FEET, a three-piece rock band from Kyoto. It began in 2007, but the inaugural event had to be canceled due to a typhoon. However, there’s a saying that festivals canceled by a typhoon in their first year go on to become beloved and popular events… True to that saying, this festival has seen various legends unfold every year—perhaps thanks to the mysterious power of the organizers, the three members of 10-FEET, and all the attendees. The overall atmosphere is known for being warm and friendly among both performers and visitors. It’s an essential event that marks the start of summer in Kyoto.

Rockin’ Radio!, an FM802 event, is held every spring at Osaka Castle Outdoor Music Hall. It’s organized as a “Kansai-born omnibus rock event” that brings together the hottest rock bands of the moment. It’s a recommended event where you can enjoy live performances at a relatively affordable price.

This is a music event organized by the female-vocal band IRabBits, bringing together girl bands. It was held from 2009 to 2014, and will be revived in 2023. With more artists now active in girl bands than before, it’s rare to get a chance to see so many high-energy bands all at once. There will also be collaboration projects with female idol groups, so it’s shaping up to be a hot event. I’m excited to see what kind of performances they’ll deliver.